Abrasive machine



March 10, 1936. V. R. PALLAS 2,033,394 ABRASIVE MACHINE Filed Feb. 12, 1935 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY l. BRDNG Patented Mar. 10, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE 16 Claims.

The present invention relates to the art of surface iinishing grinders, and more particularly pertains to the use of abrasive tape of iinite length of which the medial portion may be variously arranged in compact, multiple layer courses within rotatable head means. One end portion of said tape is maintained in operative engagement with an elongated work piece and said medial portion is thereupon slowly advanced toward such localized cutting zone to continuously renew its virgin abrasive action as fast as the tape becomes substantially spent.

To this end, the tape feed rate is purposely kept in a proportionate relationship to the longitudinal travel that may be given to the work piece, the treated product being preferably drawn through the tape cutting zone at a relatively rapid wiping speed to provide for the desired intensive abrasive action with respect to the slow moving tape. The considerable storage capacity of such multifold tape layers permits my grinding machine to run continuously at a high productive rate for a protracted period and Without need of frequent replacement in the tape supply because of abrasive loading or attrition. The employment of plural heads as herein practiced, correspondingly increases the tape storage capacity of this abrasive machine.

My copending applications, Serial No. 707,693 and Serial No. 741,533 respectively iiled January 22, 1934 and August 27, 1934, more fully show and describe appurtenances including a roll of tape disposed in spiral configuration, that are in certain respects, analogous to the present improvements. In view of the explicit deiinitions contained in my earlier applications, it is deemed needless to reiterate in detail the several alternative structural embodiments that may be assumed by the head drive and control means therefor.

Instead, the present exemplications will be more expressly directed to several pertinent formations showing how a relatively large supply oi.' abrasive tape may be differently disposed into a series of superimposed layers or other course congurations that respectively typify a specific mode or style of vernation. Such.- winding path of finite length is designed to materially increase the storage capacity contained within a by means of which, a series of iish lines or the like treated strands may be continuously run through my grinder at a high productive rate for hours at a time without requiring any shut down for tape renewal. Such tape is preferably fed into its cutting zone in a proportionate relation to the longitudinal travel of the treated product and. the combined tape storage capacity aorded by my multiple heads measures the allowable interval between the cited shut down periods.

The object of my improvements is to provide for an eective, high capacity grinding machine of the cited character that shall be capable of rapidly and economically processing the surface of an elongated work piece to a given size irrespective of the attrition rate at which the abrasive materialI becomes loaded or otherwise spent.

A principal item of processing expense resides in the iirst cost of the sanding tape and it is a further object of my invention to utilize such abrasive material to the utmost advantage and to reduce the associated servicing charges. 'I'he primary aim is to store a comparatively large supply of virgin tape within relatively narrow overall head confines and to correspondngly extend grinding operations prior to requiring tape renewal. By reenforcingly gripping the leading tape end through a plurality of driven feed rollers, a long trailing tape end may be more positively advanced toward the work piece without undue roller slip.

Single or plural tubular grinder heads may each independently mount thereon one or more separate abrasive tapes that are respectively laid in multiple courses to constitute an aggregate tape supply adapted to continuously treat relatively long work pieces such as metallic rods, wires or skeins of pliable strands. A common work piece of this kind may be threaded through a series of heads and have their respective tapes brought into cooperative engagement with the Work piece in diierent cutting zones for successive abrasive treatment. Such head or heads may either be rotatably mounted upon a spindle or held stationary while the work piece is being rapidly drawn longitudinally to establish the desired intensive cutting action.

When these heads together with their respective tape supplies, are oscillated or rotated about the spindle axis, the treated product is given a more nearly uniform circular finish, although it is emphasized that a rotative head mounting is not essential, particularly so where several stationary heads are employed having their respec- Cil tive tapes disposed to tangentially engage substantially the whole perimeter of the work piece in diverse angular relationship.

Embodied herein are also certain elaborated structural details designed to compactly stack or store abrasive tape in several alternative modifications, also certain associated feed elements are set forth that serve to positively advance the respective abrasive tapes toward their localized cutting zone.

Reference is had to the accompanying one sheet of drawings which reveals certain different embodiments of my invention, and in which drawing:

Fig. 1 represents an elevational front view of a tubular head assembly which in purpose corresporids to Fig. 6 of either of my copending applications but illustrates a modified mode for storing abrasive tape within the head confines.

Fig. 2 is a fragmental cross-sectional head view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and showing the head mounting members arranged in accordance with Fig. 3 of either original disclosure.

Figs. 3 and 4 are front views analogous to Fig. 1 hereof but respectively exemplifying alternative configurations for laying and compactly storing long tape lengths, and Fig. 5 shows a cross-sectional detail taken along line 5--5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 schematically depicts the use of multiple grinder heads as carried upon a single spindle.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, this disclosure may comprise a hollow spindle or other tubular member I of which one end region is preferably mounted in ball bearings by the bearing pedestal II. A tensioned strand or other work piece I2 may be centrally suspended through the member I 0 as indicated, it being the intent to impart longitudinal travel to the work piece by any suitable means while being treated by a tape abrasive. A disclike head such as I3 may be applied to either or both spindle ends and in the present instance, the disc perimeter is provided with a protective concentric rim I4 that forwardly overhangs the spindle end and acts as a shield for the tape medium disposed therein.

A separate adjustable sleeve I5 may rotatably encircle the spindle I0 and which sleeve is shown located inwardly behind the head disc. 'Ihe sleeve end contiguous to said disc may terminate in the master spur gear I 6 while the opposite sleeve end and also the corresponding spindle end may be equipped with suitable drive members adapted to bring about a differential movement between the spindle and its circumscribing sleeve, all of which structural features have been more completely described in my prior applications.

As disclosed in Fig. 2, the web plate or head disc I3 is journaled to receive a pair of driven pintles such as I1, which may be parallelly arranged With respect to the spindle axis. Each rearward end of these pintles may be equipped with a planet gear such as I 8 While each opposite pintle end is xedly embraced by a positively driven feed roller I9 which constitutes the primary element of my tape feed means. Cooperating with such roller is a supplementary or mated idler roller 20 which may be retractibly mounted upon the bell crank 26.

By maintaining a. slight difference in rotative speed between the sleeve I5 and the embraced spindle I0, the planetary action of the gear I8 when rotating about its meshed master gear I6, will impart a relatively slow surface movement to the feed roller I9. A similar roller movement may be secured by other suitable means such as a double reduction worm gear drive or the like (not shown).

Attention will now be directed to one mode of vernation in which to compactly store a body of abrasive tape having a finite length. By the use of my positively actuated feed means, the leading tape end region may be uniformly advanced toward the work piece to initiate a localized cutting zone in which such virgin abrasive action is maintained until the trailing end of the tape is reached. It is preferred to move the work piece longitudinally through the head or heads at a rate of travel not less than five hundred times faster than the rate at which the tape is advanced toward such zone so as to establish the desired high degree of cutting action.

In Fig. 1 there is represented a box shaped cage or housing means 22 that may be embraced within the head rim I4 and of which cage, the radially innermost wall may be provided with a. central slot 23 having a rounded edge to facilitate the feeding of tape therethrough.

Instead of resorting to a roll of tape disposed in convolute or other spiral formation as more specifically contemplated to represent one mode of vernation in the prior disclosures, the housing 22 here serves as the equivalent thereof. In such instance, each separate tape supply may be folded or stacked in plaited' formation with its multiple courses preferably placed parallel with the rim perimeter to prevent deformation when the stacked tape 21 is subjected to intense centrifugal force. The radially innermost end region of such plaited tape may then be carried through the casing slot and laterally over a guide roller 24 of which the perimeter may be placed to substantially align across the head axis with that of the feed roller I9. The guide roller is shown located radially outward from such axial center and the feed roller arranged in diametrically opposed relation. The spent tape is threaded over the feed rollers I9 and 20 and such duplicate tape assemblies may be symmetrically arranged within each head to grind the work piece in opposed localized cutting zones. Both the plaited and convolute tape formations are depicted in Fig. 1, one side thereof being equipped with a roll of tape 28 mounted upon the supply spool means 29, while the opposite side exemplifies an alternative plaited configuration.

Companion guide jaws such as 25 reversely bear upon the smooth faces of these complementary tapes to bring both of their inturned abrasive faces into operative engagement with the work piece. The innermost layer course of such plaited tape supply 21 may then be successively Withdrawn from its cage radially inward by its gear driven feed roller I9, which positively drags the tape under tension toward and through its cutting zone in a taut condition at a maintained uniform rate of advance. An adjustable drag device may be employed to secure the desired degree of tautness against lateral tape distortion under an imposed centrifugal force. One of the aforesaid jaws may be made retractible while the other is shown fixedly located with respect to the work piece axis.

The interposed tape cutting zone as backed by one such jaw, is preferably disposed in virtual tangential alignment with the respective perimeters of the contiguous feed and guide rollers I9 and 24. Said rollers may be positively interconnected by a chain drive 2I to afford a duplicated din or reenforced grip upon the leading tape end region. By suitably actuating such rollers at a differential speed, the tension of the tape portion suspended therebetween may be slackened or otherwise modified to meet the requirements for a wide range of diametral work piece sizes without requiring any further jaw adjustment to allow for abrasive wear throughout the length of the advancing tape. The complementary jaws are set to unrestraincdly press such slackened tape portion radially inward into snug engagement with the work piece while the remaining taut tape portion is being dragged over a circuitous path toward its cutting zone. As an alternative, a similar result may be had by positively chain driving the supply spool 29 in lieu of an intermediary guide roller such as 24, to the end that the trailing tape length may reach the cutting zone under relaxed tension.

My tape is preferably given a substantial width and after passing the mated feed rollers I9 and 20, the spent tape may be caught and allowed to accumulate within the circumscribing rim I4 from which such wastage may occasionally be removed while the head remains in rotation. It is also within the scope of my invention to gather the spent tape upon a special take-up spool in the manner described in the aforesaid earlier disclosures.

Fig. 3 is illustrative of a tape of which a portion has been laid into a series of folded courses having a rounded or blunt zig-zag formation. The leading portion of such threaded tape 30 may be placed under control of the feed roller means 3| and is likewise dragged under tension into operative engagement with the work piece 32. In order to ease frictional drag, it is preferred to carry each reversely folded terminal region of such tape around a suitable antifriction guide means such for instance, as the spaced idler roller 33 and the oppositely disposed driven roller 34. The latter rollermay be positively interconnected by spur gears 35 (indicated in dotted outline) to operate in unison with the feed roller 3| so as to increase the grip and thereby facilitate a creeping longitudinal movement of the tape along its circuitous path without tearing or otherwise having to impose an inordinate tension thereon.

The other free end portion of the tape 30 may be placed interiorly of the head rim connes as shown, there being resilient clips 36 provided to retain the trailing tape end while the medial tape portion is being fed onwardly around the several guides and toward the localized cutting zone. The accumulated spent tape after passing the feed mea-ns 3| may be removed from time to time.

After such tape has once passed through its localized cutting zone, the supply is intended to be replenished. This aspect assumes particular importance when treating fish line coatings'and the like soft mediums because the abrasive tape tends to load and thereby shorten its effective life. The use of a conventional single belt loop of the open endless type, would possess a corresponding lesser storage capacity and therefore require more frequent renewals to similarly retain its virgin cutting property when installed into a head of a given diametral size although certain control features of the present invention are also applicable to such abrasive belt.

Referring now to Fig. 4, this is illustrative of another alternative convolute tape formation that is disposed concentrically about the head axis. For such purpose, it is preferred to mount a guide drum 40 by antifriction means within the head rim as'detailed in Fig. 5. The tape supply 4| may then be coiled interiorly of said drum with one tape end carried radially inward into operative engagement toward the jaw 42 and which single tape is here threaded over the return feed roller 43 and brought back into double engagement with the common work piece 44. Thereupon, the spent tape end cooperates with the positively driven feed roller 45, which corresponds in function to the like element I9 of Figs. l and 2. When the head is rotated about the work piece, the feed roller 45 uniformly advances the virgin tape 4| toward its initial cutting zone at a relatively fast rate so as to retain some of its abrasive action when reaching its consecutive cutting zone.

Fig. 6 illustrates the application of plural heads 59A and 50B as mounted upon a single spindle and provided with complementary sleeve members such as I5 of Fig. 1. Each such sleeve may be equipped with a drive gear such as 5IA or 5 IB and have a main spindle gear 52 interposed therebetween. These several gears may be differentially driven through the gear box 53 or by any other suitable actuating means of the kind that have been more explicity defined in my copending prior applications. A common pliable work piece 54 may be suspended between the supply and takeup reels 55A and 55B and is preferably given a longitudinal travel by said reels in unison with the respective spindle movements that shall be kept proportionate to the stipulated rate of tape advance.

All of the foregoing tape storage formations are intended to fall within the term mode of vernation as used in combination with other elements defined in the claims and it will be obvious to those skilled in this art that other similar configurations may be resorted to in bringing about a like result, it being further understood that I reserve the right to modify the cited illustrative embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention heretofore described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A surface finishing machine comprising tubular head means adapted to have an elongated work piece entered therethrough, a supply of abrasive tape of nite length mounted upon the head, said tape being laid in a mode of vernation having one tape end region brought into operative engagement with the work piece in a localized cutting zone, a guide roller carried by the head in a radially outward position with respect to the work piece axis and which one tape end region is threaded over such guide roller, a rotatable feed roller also cooperating with the tape and carried by the head in a diametrically opposed relation to the guide roller, said cutting zone being virtually disposed in tangential alignment with the perimeters of the respective rollers, and drive means actuating one such roller to drag the aforesaid one tape end region under tension toward and through said cutting zone at a maintained uniform rate of advance.

2. A surface finishing machine comprising tubular head means adapted to have a work piece entered therethrough, a supply of abrasive tape mounted upon the head, said tape being compactly stored in multiple courses and brought into operative engagement with the work piece in a localized cutting zone, a rotatable feed roller also carried by the head. drive means rotating the feed roller to advance the tape under tension toward said cutting zone, and reel means progressively moving the work piece onward through said head at a rate of travel not less than ve hundred times faster than the mean rate of tape advance.

3. In a surface finishing machine of the multiple type, the combination of a pair of movably mounted tubular head means adapted to have a common work piece entered therethrough, means simultaneously driving the several heads to impart movement thereto, a separate supply of abrasive tape carried by each such head, said tapes being respectively laid into multifold courses and brought into operative engagement with said common work piece to constitute different localized cutting zones that are spaced apart lengthwise of the work piece, and actuated feed roller means also carried by each such head and serving to advance the respective tapes onward toward the cutting zones thereof, said feed rollers being actuated in unison with their respective head movements.

4. A surface finishing machine comprising movably mounted tubular head means adapted to have a work piece entered therethrough, means driving said head to impart movement thereto, a supply of abrasive tape of nite length stored upon the head means and of which tape a medial portion is stacked in plaited configuration with one tape end region brought into operative engagement with the work piece to constitute a localized cutting zone, and actuated feed means also carried by said head and serving to advance the aforesaid medial tape portion onward toward said cutting zone while movement is being imparted to said head.

5. A surface finishing machine comprising movably mounted tubular head means adapted to have a work piece entered therethrough, means driving said head to impart movement thereto, a supply of abrasive tape of finite length stored upon the head means and one end region of which tape is brought into operative engagement with the work piece to constsitute a localized cutting zone, the medial portion of said tape being laid in reversely folded courses to include a series of oppositely disposed fold terminal regions, antifriction guide means for certain of such terminal regions and having the tape threaded thereover, and actuated feed means also carried by said head and cooperating with the aforesaid one tape end region to drag the aforesaid medial tape portion toward the cutting zone while movement is being imparted to said head.

6. A surface finishing machine comprising movably mounted tubular head means adapted to have a work piece entered therethrough, means driving said head to impart movement thereto, a supply of abrasive tape stored upon the head means and which tape is brought into operative engagement with the work piece to constitute a localized cutting zone, a portion of said tape being laid in reversely folded courses to include a series of oppositely disposed fold terminal regions, guide means cooperating with each such terminal region, and rotatable feed means also carried by said head and serving to advance the aforesaid folded tape portion' toward the cutting zone, said feed means being geared to run in unison with certain of the guide rollers.

'7. A surface ,finishing machine comprising head means mounted upon a tubular spindle adapted to have a Work piece entered therethrough and which head includes an endless rim overhanging one spindle end, a supply of abrasive tape of nite length mounted within the rim confines and of which one tape end region is brought into operative engagement with the work piece, means for rotating the head and its rim, and feed means advancing said tape toward the work piece while the head is being rotated, the spent portion of said tape being accumulatively caught within said rim.

8. A surface finishing machine comprising tubular head means adapted to have an elongated Work piece entered therethrough, a supply of abrasive tape laid in convolute formation to include a plurality of superimposed courses disposed to circumscribe the axis of the work piece and a portion of which tape is brought into operative engagement with the work piece in a 1ocalized cutting zone, and actuated feed means advancing the tape toward said zone.

9. A surface finishing machine comprising tubular head means adapted to have an elongated work piece entered therethrough, drum means rotatably mounted by the head in a circumscribing relation to the axis of the work piece, a coil of abrasive tape carried by said drum and a portion of which tape is brought into operative engagement with the work piece to constitute a localized cutting zone, and actuated feed means advancing the tape toward said zone.

10. A surface finishing machine comprising tubular head means adapted to have an elongated work piece entered therethrough, return guide means carried by said head in a radially outward relation to the axis of the work piece, a supply of abrasive tape of finite length mounted upon said head in multiple courses to constitute a mode of vernation with one end region threaded over the guide means and doubly brought into operative engagement with the work piece in complementary cutting zones, and actuated feed roller means arranged to cooperate with said one tape end region and serving to positively drag the major tape portion under tension at a maintained uniform rate of advance toward and through the respective cutting zones.

11. A surface finishing machine comprising tubular head means adapted to have an elongated Work piece entered therethrough a supply of abrasive tape of finite length laid in a circuitous path to constitute a mode of vernation having one end region brought into operative engagement with the work piece in a localized cutting zone, duplicate roller means over which said one tape end region is threaded and doubly gripped, supplementary gear means other than the threaded tape serving to positively interconnect said rollers, and drive means for actuating such rollers in unison and which rollers mutually serve to advance the tape toward its cutting zone.

12. A surface finishing machine comprising tubular head means adapted to have an elongated work piece entered therethrough and which head includes cage means, a supply of abrasive tape housed within said cage in multiple courses of which a tape portion extends exteriorly of the cage confines and is brought into operative engagement with the work piece in a localized cutting zone, and actuated feed means carried by the head and serving to advance the tape toward said zone.

13. A surface finishing machine comprising movably mounted head means adapted to have an elongated work piece entered therethrough, means driving said head to impart movement thereto about the longitudinal axis of the work piece, a supply of abrasive tape stored upon said head and which tape is brought into operative engagement with the work piece to constitute Ol- HDHHUINLL a localized cutting zone, complementary jaw means oppositely arranged on the head about said axis with both the work piece and its engaged tape portion interposed therebetween, a pair of actuated feed rollers carried by the head means and which rollers are diametrically opposed about the aforesaid axis with a portion of said tape suspended between the feed rollers in gripping relation to the respective roller surfaces, a mated idler roller cooperating with one of the feed rollers and which idler roller is mounted to thrust against the surface of its feed roller to augment the tape grip of the last named roller, and means for actuating both such feed rollers in unison with the head movement and thereby advance the tape onward toward said cutting zone.

14. A surface finishing machine comprising movably mounted tubular head means adapted to have an elongated work piece entered therethrough, means driving said head to impart movement thereto about the longitudinal axis of the work piece, a supply of abrasive tape stored upon said head and which tape is brought into operative engagement with the work piece to constitute a localized cutting zone, a pair of actuated feed rollers carried by the head means and which rollers are diametrically opposed about the aforesaid axis, a portion of said tape being suspended under tension between the feed rollers in gripping relation to the respective roller surfaces, and means for differentially actuating the respective roller surfaces in a common direction to advance the tape toward its cutting zone, said rollers serving to maintain the suspended tape portion at a different tension from that which prevails in the trailing portion of the tape supply lying outwardly beyond one such feed roller.

15. A surface finishing machine comprising tubular head means adapted to have an elongated Work piece entered therethrough, a supply of abrasive tape carried by said head, multiple roller means carried by the head in spaced relationship with a constituent tape length portion operatively disposed to extend between said roller means and which tape intermediate said length is brought into engagement with the work piece to constitute a localized cutting zone, feed means actuating the respective roller means at a differential rate serving to cooperatively advance the trailing tape length portion toward the cutting zone at a relatively faster rate than the tape is passed through such zone.

16. A surface finishing machine comprising tubular head means adapted to have an elongated work piece entered therethrough, a supply of abrasive tape carried by said head with a constituent tape portion stored in multiple courses, a pair of rollers also carried by the head means in oppositely disposed relationship about the longitudinal axis of said work piece and having a constituent tape length suspended between said rollers, said tape length being brought into operative engagement with the work piece to constitute a localized cutting zone and leaving the aforesaid stored tape portion lying outwardly beyond one such roller, actuated feed means serving to drag said stored tape portion toward said zone and thereby subjecting the advancing tape to a drag tension prior to reaching said one roller, and means serving to relax the aforesaid tension in a portion of the suspended tape length after passing said one roller.

VERNON R. PALLAS.

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